Many of us have shared the guilty twinge of pouring a box of packing peanuts into a trash bag, knowing that our convenient foam waste will end up sitting in a landfill for the next few thousand years. Soon, however, we may be able to juice these little nuts for energy.

Human-made satellites have long been able to harness the sun's energy as it washes over them outside the protection of our atmosphere. But what if we could beam all that solar power down to Earth? The science fictional idea may be a reality sooner than you think.

Though Apple typically lauds itself for being green, it has decided to stop adhering to environmentally friendly standards. According to the Electronic Product Environmental Assessment Tool (EPEAT), the standard for green consumer electronics, Apple has pulled all 39 of its computers from being certified green by…

For every small step we take towards responsible living—buying eco-friendly light bulbs, and so on—there are gadgets that help us make giant leaps in our quest for sustainability. This week in our Green Tech series, we check out those little panels that do big things: solar cells.

For every small step we take towards responsible living—buying eco-friendly light bulbs, and so on—there are gadgets that help us make giant leaps in our quest for sustainability. This week in our Green Tech series, we examine those slim, sexy, spinning energy-harvesters, the fashion models of green tech: wind…

For every small step we take towards responsible living—buying eco-friendly light bulbs, and so on—there are gadgets that help us make giant leaps in our quest for sustainability. This week in our Green Tech series, we examine the complicated past and bright future of electric cars.

For every small step we take towards responsible living—buying eco-friendly light bulbs, and so on—there are gadgets that help us make giant leaps in our quest for sustainability. This week in our Green Tech series, we examine ocean-harnessing tidal-stream generators, the latest development in hydropower.

Earlier this week, IBM researchers announced a discovery that could lead to plastics made from plants instead of petroleum. The new plastics will be more energy efficient, more versatile, and infinitely recyclable (until we move to our space colony).

As far as practical renewable energy concepts go, these wind-powered highway lights are pretty elegant. And from my layman's perspective, they seem to be practical and realistic. I like 'em! [Turbine Light via Inhabitat]

This is the largest solar-powered office building in the world, recently built in China. Spanning a whopping 246,000 square feet, it features exhibition centers, research facilities, meeting and training facilities and a hotel, all juiced up by the sun.

In rural Africa, electricity is hard to come by. That's why Dr. Cedrick Ngalande has developed the Green Erg Generator—a dynamo that produces electricity from friction generated with the ground while walking.

Best Buy has gone nationwide with the gadget recycling program they began testing back in June. It isn't the best recycling program out there—no TVs over 32-inches, no "appliances", and a $10 fee for recycling laptops and TV monitors that is converted into a Best Buy gift card. Still, it ranks high on convenience. […

Over the summer, Dell declared that it had become "carbon neutral." You would think that meant, amazingly, it's reduced its carbon footprint to the point it's no longer adding to greenhouse gases. Total BS.